Season Preview 2020–2021: Orpheus Musical Theatre

Laura and Samara spend their days as non-profit unicorns and fill every spare minute exploring the world of musical theatre as BFFs (that’s Broadway Friends Forever). Follow @bffs613 on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

One of the best ways to get to see shows that you may never get to see otherwise—whether they are only playing on Broadway or haven’t been on stage for a long time—local community theatre brings the shows we want to see right to our front doors. This is why we always get excited when Orpheus Musical Theatre announces their next season of shows, so we can see what next year has in store for us.

First up in September 2020 is The Marvelous Wonderettes, an Off-Broadway musical following the lives of four high school songstresses in 1958, as they get set to perform at their high school prom. The show then revisits the group at their 10-year reunion and the ups and downs life has taken them on over the years. You will no doubt recognize some of your favourite hits from the ’50s and ’60s as they help to move the story forward.

Followed in November by Anything Goes—an entire show of your favourite Cole Porter songs. As a group boards an ocean liner from New York to London—including a nightclub singer, public enemy number one, an heiress and many more—hilarity, romance and crazy antics ensue.

Spring 2021 greets us with Something Rotten. The original cast included big names like Christian Borle (for which he won a Tony) and Bryan D’Arcy James. This show has an original story, music and lyrics. The comedy—set in the English Renaissance—follows two brothers as they try to write a hit musical, but their biggest competition happens to be none other than William Shakespeare. We have a feeling this one will have audiences laughing from start to finish.

The season ends with The Secret Garden—based on the novel of the same name—where the story takes place in the early 20th century. An orphan who has suffered tragedy and has been sent away works through pain and growth while nurturing a magic garden to its full glory.